university of sydney
These days, many dieters and others looking for healthy ways of eating are referring to the Glycemic Index list of foods in their quest for a diet that will help them lose weight or combat problems such as diabetes, heart disease or cardiovascular disorders.
What Is The Glycemic Index?
The GI is a way of rating carbohydrates based on the amount they raise levels of blood sugar in the body. These carbs are placed on a scale between 1 (low) and 100 (high) to indicate the speed at which they are digested and their effect on the glucose levels in the bloodstream. The University of Sydney maintains a database of the different GI values of various carbohydrates based on recent research.
Why Is A Glycemic Index List Of Foods Useful?
One might be tempted to suppose that all carbs influence blood sugar in the same way, but research into Glycemic Index values suggests this is not the case. This information is valuable for many people, such as those trying to lose weight and others who have specific dietary health requirements, as it helps us to know which carbohydrates are likely to result in lower or more stable blood sugar levels. People who need special diets for health reasons should consult their doctor for specific advice.
Many of us have been used to believing that so-called 'complex carbohydrates' produce the slow burning fuel on which we depend for energy throughout the day. But the Glycemic Index food list suggests that certain items burn more slowly than others: for example, the soluble fibre in foods such as oats or apples prevents the movement of enzymes that digest what we eat. For this reason, such foods tend to have a lower GI ranking than those containing insoluble fibre, which does not inhibit enzymes in the same way.
Does GI Have Any Limitations?
Because of what it measures, there are always some foods that have no GI rating because they have negligible or zero carbohydrate content -- for example, eggs, meat, fish and certain types of vegetable. This means that in a mixed meal, it can be difficult to determine an overall GI value. There are also many other factors that can affect GI, and individuals' dietary reactions may vary.
While most people will continue to benefit from a well balanced diet, the Glycemic Index helps us to understand the way our bodies process the food we eat and helps us to make intelligent choices about different foods within a particular group.
